Vertical siding system

Abstract

A vertical siding system for an exterior building wall, including vertically oriented panels mounted in flush side-by-side array on supporting structure of the wall and vertically oriented cover members covering the joints between adjacent panels and interlocked with the panels. The cover members have locking flanges along their side edges for insertion in locking grooves formed in side portions of the panels, and are resiliently deformable so that they can be snap-fitted onto the panels after the panels are mounted on the wall. The panels and cover members may be designed to cooperatively simulate the appearance of conventional board-and-batten wooden siding.

We claim: 
     
       1. A vertical siding system mounted on a supporting wall, said system comprising: (a) a plurality of vertically elongated siding panels having longitudinal edges, disposed in parallel, edge-abutting, side-by-side array outwardly of said wall;   (b) for each of said panels, a plurality of fastening elements for securing the panel to the wall; and   (c) a plurality of vertically elongated, resiliently deformable cover members respectively disposed outwardly of the abutting edges of adjacent panels of said array in covering relation to said abutting edges;   (d) each of said panels comprising a unitary, formed sheet metal strip and a substantially rigid insulating body disposed inwardly thereof, both the strip and the body extending over the full width of the panel, each said panel having (i) a broad central portion with a substantially flat outer surface, extending the length of the panel,   (ii) first and second fastening flanges respectively extending the length of the panel along said longitudinal edges on opposite sides of said central portion, said fastening flanges having outer surfaces offset inwardly with respect to the outer surface of said central portion, said fastening elements for each said panel extending through the fastening flanges thereof into the wall, and   (iii) portions defining first and second locking grooves formed in the sheet metal strip and respectively extending the length of the panel on opposite sides of said central portion between and central portion and said fastening flanges, said locking grooves respectively opening laterally of said panel in opposite directions away from said central portion such that locking grooves of adjacent panels face each other across the abutting edges of the panels;     (e) each of said cover members comprising a formed sheet metal strip having a pair of longitudinal locking flanges, respectively projecting laterally of the cover member in opposite directions and positioned and dimensioned such that they are re-respectively received in the facing locking grooves of adjacent panels mounted on the wall, thereby to retain the cover member in covering relation to the abutting edges and adjacent fastening flanges of the adjacent panels;   (f) each of said cover members being resiliently deformable and being shaped and dimensioned for snap-fitting interengagement of the cover member with facing groove-defining portions of adjacent panels such that the cover member is capable of being deformed for lateral insertion of its locking flanges into the facing grooves of the adjacent panels and is held under compression between the last-mentioned groove-defining portions;   (g) said panel strip having longitudinal edges bent inwardly at right angles to said fastening flanges to cover the longitudinal edges of said insulating body.   
     
     
       2. A vertical siding system mounted on a supporting wall, said system comprising: (a) a plurality of vertically elongated siding panels having longitudinal edges, disposed in parallel, edge-abutting, side-by-side array outwardly of said wall;   (b) for each of said panels, a plurality of fastening elements for securing the panel to the wall; and   (c) a plurality of vertically elongated, resiliently deformable cover members respectively disposed outwardly of the abutting edges of adjacent panels of said array in covering relation to said abutting edges;   (d) each of said panels comprising a unitary, formed sheet metal strip and a substantially rigid insulating body disposed inwardly thereof, both the strip and the body extending over the full width of the panel, each said panel having (i) a broad central portion with a substantially flat outer surface, extending the length of the panel,   (ii) first and second fastening flanges respectively extending the length of the panel along said longitudinal edges on opposite sides of said central portion, said fastening flanges having outer surfaces offset inwardly with respect to the outer surface of said central portion, said fastening elements for each said panel extending through the fastening flanges thereof into the wall, and   (iii) portions defining first and second locking grooves formed in the sheet metal strip and respectively extending the length of the panel on opposite sides of said central portion between said central portion and said fastening flanges, said locking grooves respectively opening laterally of said panel in opposite directions away from said central portion such that locking grooves of adjacent panels face each other across the abutting edges of the panels;     (e) each of said cover members comprising a formed sheet metal strip having a pair of longitudinal locking flanges, respectively projecting laterally of the cover member in opposite directions and positioned and dimensionsed such that they are respectively received in the facing locking grooves of adjacent panels mounted on the wall, thereby to retain the cover member in covering relation to the abutting edges and adjacent fastening flanges of the adjacent panels;   (f) each of said cover members being resiliently deformable and being shaped and dimensioned for snap-fitting interengagement of the cover member with facing groove-defining portions of adjacent panels such that the cover member is capable of being deformed for lateral insertion of its locking flanges into the facing grooves of the adjacent panels and is held under compression between the last-mentioned groove-defining portions;   (g) each of said cover members comprising a resiliently deformable, inwardly opening channel section having a central web and a pair of legs, said legs having inner longitudinal edges respectively bent laterally in opposite directions to constitute said locking flanges, and   (h) the legs of each of said cover members being dimensioned to project substantially outwardly of said panels when interlocked therewith for cooperating with said panels to simulate the appearance of wooden board-and-batten siding.   
     
     
       3. A system as defined in claim 2, wherein said panel strip has formed therein, along each side of said panel central portion, a first 180° inward and reverse bend and a second 180° inward and reverse bend defining one of said locking grooves. 
     
     
       4. A vertical siding system mounted on a supporting wall, said system comprising: (a) a plurality of vertically elongated siding panels having longitudinal edges, disposed in parallel, edge-abutting, side-by-side array outwardly of said wall;   (b) for each of said panels, a plurality of fastening elements for securing the panel to the wall; and   (c) a plurality of vertically elongated, resiliently deformable cover members respectively disposed outwardly of the abutting edges of adjacent panels of said array in covering relation to said abutting edges;   (d) each of said panels comprising a unitary, formed sheet metal strip and a substantially rigid insulating body disposed inwardly thereof, both the strip and the body extending over the full width of the panel, each said panel having (i) a broad central portion with a substantially flat outer surface, extending the length of the panel,   (ii) first and second fastening flanges respectively extending the length of the panel along said longitudinal edges on opposite sides of said central portion, said fastening flanges having outer surfaces offset inwardly with respect to the outer surface of said central portion, said fastening elements for each said panel extending through the fastening flanges thereof into the wall, and   (iii) portions defined first and second locking grooves formed in the sheet metal strip and respectively extending the length of the panel on opposite sides of said central portion between said central portion and said fastening flanges, said locking grooves respectively opening laterally of said panel in opposite directions away from said central portion such that locking grooves of adjacent panels face each other across the abutting edges of the panels;     (e) each of said cover members comprising a formed sheet metal strip having a pair of longitudinal locking flanges, respectively projecting laterally of the cover member in opposite directions and positioned and dimensionsed such that they are respectively received in the facing locking grooves of adjacent panels mounted on the wall, thereby to retain the cover member in covering relation to the abutting edges and adjacent fastening flanges of the adjacent panels;   (f) each of said cover members being resiliently deformable and being shaped and dimensioned for snap-fitting interenegagement of the cover member with facing groove-defining portions of adjacent panels such that the cover member is capable of being deformed for lateral insertion of its locking flanges into the facing grooves of the adjacent panels and is held under compression between the last-mentioned groove-defining portions;   (g) each of said cover members having plural parallel longitudinal bends formed therein, each said cover member undergoing bend-flattening deformation during lateral insertion of its locking flanges into the facing locking grooves of adjacent panels as aforesaid.   
     
     
       5. A system as defined in claim 4, wherein said cover member has five longitudinal bends substantially equidistantly spaced across its width, the spacing between each longitudinal margin of said cover member and the bend nearest thereto being substantially equal to the spacing between adjacent bends, said bends including an inwardly opening central bend coincident with the longitudinal centerline of said cover member, two outwardly opening bends respectively disposed on opposite sides of said central bend, and two inwardly opening bends respectively disposed between said last-mentioned bends and the opposite longitudinal margins of said cover member, all of said bends opening at obtuse angles, the angle at which said central bend opens being smaller than the angles at which all the others of said bends open.